COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES OF THE 125TH ACADEMIC YEAR OF HUC-JIR TO CELEBRATE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING OF RHEA HIRSCH SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Rabbi William Cutter, Ph.D., Professor of Education and Hebrew Language and Literature and Founding Director of the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) Rhea Hirsch School of Education (RHSOE), will give the keynote address during the College-Institute's graduation ceremonies, announced Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, President and Rosh Yeshiva, HUC-JIR. The commencement exercises of the one hundred and twenty fifth academic year of HUC-JIR will be held on Monday, May 15, 2000, at 3:00pm at the Los Angeles School located at 32nd and Hoover Streets.

In conjunction with the thirtieth anniversary of the founding of the RHSOE, Dr. Cutter will deliver the commencement address entitled, "The Tao of Jewish Life, The Dow of Jewish Leadership."

"The College-Institute is delighted to honor the Rhea Hirsch School of Education on its thirtieth anniversary. Dr. Cutter's commencement address will be an inspiration to our students, faculty, and the community, as well," said Rabbi Zimmerman.

The College-Institute will also confer honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees at a special consecration service at 10:00am the same day. The following rabbis are being honored for their 25 years of dedicated service: Rabbi Alan Provis Alpert; Rabbi Ari Mark Cartun; Rabbi Eli Herscher; Rabbi Gershon Johnson; Rabbi Michael Phillip Perelmuter; and Rabbi Mark Neil Staitman.

At the consecration service Cantor Jay Irwin Frailich; and Cantor Neil S. Newman will receive honorary Doctor of Music degrees.

Additionally, for the first time in the history of the College-Institute, honorary Doctor of Jewish Religious Education degrees will be awarded at the morning consecration service to: Elissa Blaser; Sally Ruth Goodis; Kay Manya Goodman; Aviva Kadosh; Shulamit Katz; Fred W. Marcus; and Robert E. Tornberg. Doctor of Jewish Communal Service degrees will be awarded to: Howard Charish; Charlotte Cornfeld; Jean Graubert; Joyce Karchem, z"l; Louis Solomon; and Peter Wells. Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, the President of the four-campus Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, joined by Dr. Lewis M. Barth, Dean of the Los Angeles School will confer 5 Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters degrees; 9 Master of Arts in Jewish Education degrees; 3 Joint Masters of Arts in Jewish Communal Service and Jewish Education degrees; 9 Master of Arts in Jewish Communal Service degrees; and 1 Master of Arts in Judaic Studies degree.

Howard Bernstein, Chair of the College-Institute's Los Angeles Board of Overseers, and Jay Geller, President, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Pacific Southwest Council, will confirm the degrees. Melissa L. Fogel and Leah Susan Lewis, members of the HUC-JIR Class of 2000, will speak on behalf of the students, a tradition unique to the Los Angeles School of HUC-JIR.

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Founded in 1875, Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion is North America's leading institution of higher Jewish education and the academic, spiritual, and professional leadership development center of Reform Judaism. HUC-JIR educates leaders to serve North American and world Jewry as rabbis, cantors, educators, and nonprofit management professionals, and offers graduate programs to scholars and clergy of all faiths. With centers of learning in Cincinnati, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, and New York, HUC-JIR's scholarly resources comprise the renowned Klau Library, The Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, museums, research institutes and centers, and academic publications. In partnership with the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis, HUC-JIR sustains the Reform Movement's congregations and professional and lay leaders. HUC-JIR's campuses invite the community to cultural and educational programs illuminating Jewish heritage and fostering interfaith and multiethnic understanding. www.huc.edu

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